Denver Overdoses Up, Rest of the Nation Down

In Denver, Colorado, drug abuse death causalities are skyrocketing while at the same time in other U.S. cities statistics of drug overdoses are declining or leveling off.

According to a study by the Department of Health and Human Services, metro Denver had 310 drug overdose deaths in 2001, more than double the statistic of five years previous. In another federal study research shows that nationwide, Colorado ranks first in marijuana use, second in alcohol abuse, and 15th in drug abuse among the other 50 states.

These statistics are not surprising due to the fact that Colorado spend less on drug abuse education and treatment than almost any other state in the region, Health Officials say. "Absolutely it is a big problem" said Adam Brickner, Director of Denver Mayor Wellington Webb's office of Drug Strategy in an interview with Rocky Mountain News.

"We spend so little money on prevention, treatment and intervention in Colorado. We absolutely could do something about these deaths, but we are not doing it" he continues to say. The use of Ecstasy and other "designer drugs" are also showing a huge increase in casualties along with methamphetamines, but the main killer seems to be alcohol and cocaine in combination with each other. Health officials also state that marijuana is the main gateway drug that indefinitely leads to more serious drug addiction problems